Governor Jim Doyle: Biography

On January 6, 2003, Jim Doyle was sworn in as Wisconsin's 44th Governor.

Jim Doyle was born on November 23, 1945 to James E. Doyle Sr. and Ruth Bachhuber Doyle. He and his three sisters grew up in Madison. Jim is married to Jessica Laird Doyle and they have two adult sons, Gus and Gabe.

Jim credits his parents for instilling in him the belief that politics and government are honorable professions, and that public service is a way to improve people’s lives. Doyle’s parents were founding members of the modern Democratic Party in Wisconsin. James E. Doyle, Sr. ran for governor in 1954 and was appointed as a federal judge in 1965. Ruth Doyle was the first woman from Dane County to be elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1948 and the fourth generation of the Bachhuber family to serve in the Legislature.

Jim graduated from Madison West High School in 1963, where he excelled in basketball. After attending Standford University and graduating from UW-Madison, Jim went to Africa to work as a teacher in the Peace Corps.

In 1972, Jim earned his law degree from Harvard University. He and Jessica then moved to the Navajo Indian Reservation in Chinle, Arizona where he worked as an attorney in a federal legal services office and Jessica taught at the local elementary school.

In 1975, the Doyle family returned to Madison. Jim was elected Dane County District Attorney and served three terms from 1977-82. After he left that office, he spent eight years building his own private law practice until he was elected Wisconsin Attorney General in 1990. Jim was reelected as Attorney General in 1994 and 1998.

During his 12 years as Attorney General, Jim distinguished himself in office by fighting for people and fighting for change. He was a national leader in the fight to improve public health through his successful lawsuit against the tobacco industry. He successfully fought to restore public confidence in criminal sentencing, make our schools and streets safer, protect consumers from fraud, and prosecute environmental polluters. Jim also served as the president of the National Association of Attorneys General in 1997-98.

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